Society & Culture

What are your observations on society and where it’s headed?

Society & Culture

Posted by: Rainbow

16th May 2011 01:27pm

Have we evolved into a narcissistic society, as the media have alleged? Do you think the importance of manners and etiquette is less essential? If you live in a country or regional area, is there more of a community spirit and comrade in your district? I really would love to hear your opinions on this issue so please do share your thoughts.

Analog6
  • 17th May 2011 07:35am

I think many of the problems of our modern society can be traced back to loss of community. Once you had local shops, with a general store, maybe a butcher and bakery, and you would meet the locals as you purchased your newspaper, your meat and bread and milk. Now we have huge malls filled with multi-national stores and our sense of community, in most areas, is gone.

We no longer know who are locals and who are not, and we feel suspicious of strangers because the media has a negative focus and the powers that be tell us terrorists are everywhere and foster suspicion and distrust. Even religions and church foster this culture of 'if you ain't with us, you're agin us'. What happened to love your fellow man?

We no longer stop to help people in trouble because we don't want to get involved, we might face litigation, we might have to go the extra mile for someone we don't even know (horrors!).

Our children don't walk to school anymore, so they don't know the neighbours either, and see older people as past their use by date, so not their business. And at school it is all about who has the latest designer this or that in clothing, technology and all else. This, of course, reflects the rampant consumerism of most homes, we must have the biggest and latest TV, home stereo, kitchen and even house. And if we haven't got the money for it, no problem, put it on the never never.

And we no longer take personal responsibility - if something goes wrong it must be 'someone's' fault. And if we are really lucky, we'll be able to sue someone for it and get some money out of it! Whooppee!

And I believe it all goes back to losing our sense of community and involvement with our neighbours and those close (physically and emotionally) to us.

I think one step in the right direction would be to discourage huge shopping complexes in favour of smaller local units, either mini malls or even individual shops - I believe our governments and councils or other local planning authorities should do more to foster local living (good for our environment, and health, too if we use the car less) by giving the tax breaks to small businesses, not the huge megaliths that currently do it so much easier.

(Sorry for the long rant, you hit on a pet hobby horse of mine!)


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